Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax 645D

On this page, we will be analyzing the Panasonic SZ8 and Pentax 645D, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Pro DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a crucial gap among the sensor resolutions of the SZ8 (16MP) and 645D (40MP) and the SZ8 (1/2.3") and 645D (Medium format) boast different sensor dimensions.

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The SZ8 was manufactured 3 years after the 645D which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic SZ8 being a Compact camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before we go into a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise summation of how the SZ8 scores vs the 645D with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8 and Pentax 645D. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic SZ8 Gallery and Pentax 645D Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic SZ8 comes with outer dimensions of 100mm x 60mm x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") having a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Pentax 645D has specifications of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") accompanied by a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic SZ8 and Pentax 645D in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you use at that moment. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the SZ8 compared to the 645D.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ8 and 645D is 94 and 50 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to visualize the difference in sensor sizes purely by researching technical specs. The picture below might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ8 and 645D.

As you can tell, both the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The SZ8 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Pentax 645D will result in more detail due to its extra 24MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The newer SZ8 provides an edge in sensor technology.